Paul Revere and the NSA: Who knew?

Jan. 17, 2014
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The federal HealthCare.gov website. / Jon Elswick, AP

by Desair Brown, USATODAY

by Desair Brown, USATODAY

Wondering why Paul Revere was trending while President Obama was announcing NSA changes?

It has everything to do with a history lesson the president gave at the beginning of his speech.

"At the dawn of our republic, a small, secret surveillance committee borne out of "The Sons of Liberty" was established in Boston," he began. "The group's members included Paul Revere, and at night, they would patrol the streets, reporting back any signs that the British were preparing raids against America's early patriots."

One reference to Paul Revere and his famous ride, and Twitter was off to the races.

Many users, such as Huffington Post political editor and White House correspondent Sam Stein, wondered about the comparison between the Sons of Liberty and the NSA.